BIG BEAR LAKE, Calif., Aug. 10 (Our Hesperia) — Bald eagle Jackie, a well-known bird associated with a livestreamed nest in California’s Big Bear Valley, died Aug. 10 after her health continued to worsen during more than three weeks of intensive medical care, the Ojai Raptor Center said.
The center identified the bird as Patient 26-519. Her remains were transferred to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, according to the center’s statement.
What happened to Jackie?
Jackie was rescued July 17 by the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation’s San Dimas Raptor Rescue team. She had reportedly been involved in a fight with two younger eagles near the Dana Point Park area by Big Bear Lake and was found weak and unable to fly.
She was then taken to the Ojai Raptor Center, a wildlife rehabilitation and veterinary facility in California.
The center’s July 21 health update said initial blood tests showed severe anemia and inflammation affecting her kidneys. Anemia means the blood does not have enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen through the body.
Jackie received a blood transfusion and other intensive treatment. The center said she was given oxygen, supportive care and constant monitoring in an intensive care unit. Her care was reviewed by a team that included nine veterinarians, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Why was her condition so serious?
One measure followed by the veterinary team was packed cell volume, or PCV. It is the percentage of blood made up of red blood cells. A low PCV is a sign of anemia.
According to updates from the Ojai Raptor Center, Jackie’s PCV fell to 13% on Aug. 3, dropped below 6% on Aug. 8 and rose to 9% on Aug. 9. The center said the desired level was above 30%.
The Aug. 9 reading was a small improvement, but the center said Jackie remained critically ill and unstable. She died in the early hours of Aug. 10.
The center said her health continued to deteriorate despite treatment and the efforts of its veterinary staff and consulting specialists.
What caused her illness?
The cause of Jackie’s illness and death had not been announced. The Ojai Raptor Center said it planned to provide a more detailed statement about her treatment and test results while working with state and federal wildlife officials.
The initial fight may have left Jackie unable to fly, but Chris Eksteen, the center’s executive director, told the Los Angeles Times that the encounter did not appear to explain her broader symptoms. The center’s records cited severe anemia and kidney inflammation, but the available updates did not include the results of diagnostic procedures such as a CT scan or bone marrow biopsy.
The available information also does not say whether a necropsy or toxicology testing was conducted.
Why was Jackie widely known?
Jackie was associated with a nest in Big Bear Valley that was watched by viewers through livestream cameras operated by Friends of Big Bear Valley. She was known alongside her longtime partner, Shadow.
Her death is the loss of one individual bald eagle. The medical updates describe her treatment and condition, but they do not establish a broader environmental or population trend for bald eagles in California. Any conclusions about the species as a whole would require separate wildlife monitoring data and ecological research.